A small effort changes many lives

Under-privileged women working at a candle factory run by MSEDA at Srimangol in Moulvibazar district. PHOTO: STAR

Her labourer husband earns only Tk 27 a day at Bharaura tea garden, which can not even meet the cost of rice for their family with four children.

Eighteen year-old Kajol Hajra said she was driven away from house by brothers due to poverty after her father's death. Now they live with her as she earns around Tk 1000 per month from this factory.

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Sakuntala Hajra said she maintains her three minor daughters and sick husband with the income from the factory.

They are among many poor women who work at a small candle factory at College Road at Srimangal upazila headquarters, run by the Multipurpose Socio Economic Development Association (MSEDA) at its office.

The local NGO's efforts have allowed the poor women to live with honour.

Many others want to join them but the scope is limited, said

its Director Luthfur Rahman while talking to this Corres-pondent during a recent visit to its office.

The MSEDA launched this small venture in November 2002 with financial assistance from Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (BFF), another local NGO.

Workers are also given a percentage of the profit.

The candles are marketed in Srimongal. "We had to work hard to convince wholesalers as well as retailers", said its president Md Mizanur Rahman.

"Businessmen are sympathetic to us now as distressed women are helped if they buy the product. We have also improved the quality", he said.

MSEDA's Executive Director Tohirul Islam said they are trying to expand the project by buying some new machines. It is a sustainable venture with a small capital, he said.

Similar hopes were found at another such small candle factory at Ramnagar near Kalighat tea garden, set up by another local NGO -- Institute for Social Advancement (ISA).

Sumati Munda was busy packing candles there.

"My father Lakshmicharan Munda works in Kakiachhera tea garden. I had stopped going to school due to poverty.

I started again after I got a job here. Now, I am preparing to appear at the SSC examination", a confidant Sumita said. BFF's Programme Officer Shamimul Islam Shimul said they are trying to expand its programme by assisting such small ventures.